Jeremić says he will not leave Democratic Party

Vuk Jeremic told B92 TV late on Sunday that he was subjected to "a true harangue" in the past few days over his upcoming UN General Assembly presidency. The foreign minister in the outgoing government and a high ranking official of the Democratic Party (DS) told the Impression of the Week talk show that "everything started after the June 29 DS presidency meeting": Jeremic says he will not leave Democratic Party "We sat there together for three hours, (then) I left early because I had a previous engagement with a foreign ambassador, and after I had left, some people launched a debate about the Serbian budget for the General Assembly presidency." The alleged sum set aside for the purpose was last week publicly criticized by Jeremic's fellow top DS official and Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas. Jeremic said that he learned about the content of the DS presidency discussion from the media, "when this unheard-of harangue against me was launched". He added that prior to that, "nobody asked for any explanations" regarding the subject. According to him, the campaign led against him via the media caused damage to him personally, but also to Serbia and our mission at the UN, "which has in the past few days been besieged by diplomats who wished to know whether Serbia was withdrawing its presidency". The government set aside a budget of USD 2.9mn for the one year that Serbia will head the UN General Assembly, Jeremic revealed, noting that his salary was yet to be determined, but that it would be "several times less than what the media mentioned, and somewhat higher than the salaries of our diplomats posted in the U.S." The final budget for the purpose, he continued, would be determined by the new government. "If we wish to promote Serbia in New York, that comes with a certain price tag attached. If a new government were to appraise that we do not need economic, cultural and diplomatic promotion, and education of diplomats, I would accept any decision made by top state officials - however, this is a chance that comes along once in 100 years." Asked to describe the situation within the DS after the party and its leader suffered defeat in the May elections, Jeremic said it was "not rosy", but that "the period when it hit rock bottom was over". He also stated that he would "remain faithful to the Democratic Party" and would not join another, but said he did receive invitations from other parties - "even offers to make him a minister (in the new government)." Jeremic added that he was "not the sort that switches sides", and would not reveal where the offer came from, other than noting that it was "not the Serb Progressives (SNS)". Former acting DS leader and Serbian PM Zoran Zivkovic - who assumed these roles in the wake of the 2003 assassination of Zoran Djindjic - took part in the same talk show. According to him, the UN General Assembly issue was "irrelevant", and was "broadcast from the DS presidency that in the past few years did great damage to the country and the party". Zivkovic, who is today a member of the DS, added that "too much money was set aside for an irrelevant, speaker position of UN General Assembly presidency". Zivkovic commented on the criticism leveled by Dragan Djilas to say that the Belgrade mayor was "the last person who should reproach anyone, although he has a point", and added that Djilas "has so many zeros behind 2.9 million which nobody knows where they are". According to Zivkovic, Serbia's UNGA role means it will be "involved in the ten-year war of Russia with former USSR states". He also believes that "although great diplomatic victories were announced in the past years on several occasions, Serbia is in the worst foreign policy position since it exists as a sovereign state". "If Serbia were really capable of heading the UN, Tadic would probably have run for the position, rather than Jeremic," concluded Zivkovic. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, file) "Thaci doesn't deserve to be touchable" Vuk Jeremic also addressed the controversy that developed over the weekend, when DS leader and former Serbian President Boris Tadic took part in the Croatia summit, and was photographed shaking hands with Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. This was "not contrary to the state policy established during his presidential term", said Jeremic, and added: "The state policy has not been undermined, as Tadc is not holding any state office at the moment." “I would not have shaken hands with Thaci," explained Jeremic, "but Tadic has the right to do that. If anyone suffered damage, it would be him, and I believe that he is aware what he did and what damage he might suffer, but I also believe that he had some plan and that he knows what is behind that." He voiced belief that Tadic had made a decision to attend the Croatia Summit on his own, and not upon the recommendation of some international actor. Zoran Zivkovic also addressed the issue to say that "shaking hands with Thaci was Tadic's attempt at furthering his political career," but that with the move, he crossed the red line which he had established himself. “I would not have shaken hands with Thaci, because I think he does not deserve to be touchable, taking into account the grounded suspicion that he was involved in human organ trafficking. That is someone with whom one should not have any communication,” Zivkovic said. B92 Tanjug

Jeremić says he will not leave Democratic Party

"We sat there together for three hours, (then) I left early because I had a previous engagement with a foreign ambassador, and after I had left, some people launched a debate about the Serbian budget for the General Assembly presidency."

The alleged sum set aside for the purpose was last week publicly criticized by Jeremić's fellow top DS official and Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas.

Jeremić said that he learned about the content of the DS presidency discussion from the media, "when this unheard-of harangue against me was launched". He added that prior to that, "nobody asked for any explanations" regarding the subject.

According to him, the campaign led against him via the media caused damage to him personally, but also to Serbia and our mission at the UN, "which has in the past few days been besieged by diplomats who wished to know whether Serbia was withdrawing its presidency".

The government set aside a budget of USD 2.9mn for the one year that Serbia will head the UN General Assembly, Jeremić revealed, noting that his salary was yet to be determined, but that it would be "several times less than what the media mentioned, and somewhat higher than the salaries of our diplomats posted in the U.S."

The final budget for the purpose, he continued, would be determined by the new government.

"If we wish to promote Serbia in New York, that comes with a certain price tag attached. If a new government were to appraise that we do not need economic, cultural and diplomatic promotion, and education of diplomats, I would accept any decision made by top state officials - however, this is a chance that comes along once in 100 years."

Asked to describe the situation within the DS after the party and its leader suffered defeat in the May elections, Jeremić said it was "not rosy", but that "the period when it hit rock bottom was over".

He also stated that he would "remain faithful to the Democratic Party" and would not join another, but said he did receive invitations from other parties - "even offers to make him a minister (in the new government)."

Jeremić added that he was "not the sort that switches sides", and would not reveal where the offer came from, other than noting that it was "not the Serb Progressives (SNS)".

Former acting DS leader and Serbian PM Zoran Živković - who assumed these roles in the wake of the 2003 assassination of Zoran Đinđić - took part in the same talk show.

According to him, the UN General Assembly issue was "irrelevant", and was "broadcast from the DS presidency that in the past few years did great damage to the country and the party".

Živković, who is today a member of the DS, added that "too much money was set aside for an irrelevant, speaker position of UN General Assembly presidency".

Živković commented on the criticism leveled by Dragan Đilas to say that the Belgrade mayor was "the last person who should reproach anyone, although he has a point", and added that Đilas "has so many zeros behind 2.9 million which nobody knows where they are".

According to Živković, Serbia's UNGA role means it will be "involved in the ten-year war of Russia with former USSR states".

He also believes that "although great diplomatic victories were announced in the past years on several occasions, Serbia is in the worst foreign policy position since it exists as a sovereign state".

"If Serbia were really capable of heading the UN, Tadić would probably have run for the position, rather than Jeremić," concluded Živković.

"Thaci doesn't deserve to be touchable"

Vuk Jeremić also addressed the controversy that developed over the weekend, when DS leader and former Serbian President Boris Tadić took part in the Croatia summit, and was photographed shaking hands with Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

This was "not contrary to the state policy established during his presidential term", said Jeremić, and added:

"The state policy has not been undermined, as Tadć is not holding any state office at the moment."

“I would not have shaken hands with Thaci," explained Jeremić, "but Tadic has the right to do that. If anyone suffered damage, it would be him, and I believe that he is aware what he did and what damage he might suffer, but I also believe that he had some plan and that he knows what is behind that."

He voiced belief that Tadić had made a decision to attend the Croatia Summit on his own, and not upon the recommendation of some international actor.

Zoran Živković also addressed the issue to say that "shaking hands with Thaci was Tadić's attempt at furthering his political career," but that with the move, he crossed the red line which he had established himself.

“I would not have shaken hands with Thaci, because I think he does not deserve to be touchable, taking into account the grounded suspicion that he was involved in human organ trafficking. That is someone with whom one should not have any communication,” Živković said.